Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The invention relates to a candle holder for mounting on a support, such as a bakery product.
Candle holders for holding and for mounting candles on a support, for example on a bakery product, are used on many festive occasions. A typical intended use is the application of a number of candles associated with the age to a birthday cake.
Typical problems generally arise through the number of candles which have to be placed with increasing age of a person celebrating his or her anniversary and which have to be anchored in the generally only slightly stable mass of the bakery product in a small space, and for the lighting and burning of candles. In addition to the difficulties of handling, the contamination by soot and wax which arises from the burning of the candles gives rise to at least aesthetic limitations. A very fast and easy lighting of a relatively large number of candles presents a further difficulty.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,455 discloses a hood-like cake protector which is also equipped for holding candles. The fastening and retention are effected here without direct contact with the cake by inverting over the cake protector in which the candles rest in fixed mounts unchangeable in their positioning.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,455 describes a construction which can be pushed onto or into a cake and has candle mounts around a cylindrical center.
U.S. Pat. Nos. D 285,159, 4,938,688 and 4,884,966 disclose protective plastic cake covers which have a number of holes into which candles can be inserted. In one embodiment, a special arrangement of the holes enables numerical symbols represented as figures and comprising candles to be inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 298,859 describes a shield-like cake attachment which can be pushed into a cake and has, on its upper surface, holders for a few candles.
However, none of these publications describes a possibility for fast and easy lighting of candles, in particular a relatively large number thereof, as are used especially on birthdays, company anniversaries and other celebrations. In all cases, the candles must be lit individually, which proves to be particularly disadvantageous since, in addition to the complicated handling, nonuniform burning of the candles results, which is aesthetically not very advantageous and, in the most unfavorable case, can result in the candles lit first already going out before the last candle burns. In particular, candle size and number of candles are negatively correlated with one another owing to the limited space available on a bakery product, so that an individually short burning time of the candles is likely in the case of large numbers of candles and the problems described may occur to a greater extent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,766 B1 describes a candle lighting system for fast lighting of a plurality of candles. There, the candles are lit by means of a burnable connection from candle to candle by means of a fuse cord. This solution has the disadvantage that special candles or candle attachments have to be used and the lighting process is likely to release a relatively large amount of combustion substances, which in turn can contaminate the cake or the surrounding air. Because of the requirements associated with the handling of many ignition leads, their use for a relatively large number of candles is complicated and susceptible to problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,376 discloses a special type of candle which has a lighting cord connected to the wick and is likewise lit by means of a fuse. In addition to the disadvantages already described for the preceding solution and also relevant here, the difficulty of correct transmission of the igniting flame from the lead to the candle wick additionally occurs.
The object of the present invention is to provide a candle holder, in particular for a relatively large number of candles, which permits the lighting of all candles quickly and easily without having to use special igniting leads.
This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a candle holder for mounting on a support, such as a bakery product, including at least two bearer elements, on each of which at least one candle mount is mounted, wherein the bearer elements are displaceably connected to one another, in a first position of the bearer elements, it being possible for wicks of at least two candles introducible or introduced in each case into the candle mounts to be brought into an ignition distance relative to one another and it being possible for the bearer elements then to be moved, in particular pushed, turned or folded, into a second position in which the wicks are a larger distance apart. Advantages and alternative embodiments and further developments of the apparatus are evident from the following description of the invention.
In the subject of the invention, the candles are held in mounts which can be moved relative to one another in such a way that, in a first position, easy and fast lighting of the candles is possible and said position is determined so that wicks of the candles are present an ignition distance apart. Owing to the geometric conditions, it will in general not be possible to find a position of all wicks in which the lighting of a single candle leads to transmission of the flame to all remaining candles.
An embodiment comprises bringing together the candle mounts and hence the wicks in a plurality of rows of candles so that the candles to be lit are reduced to the candles present in each case at the front position in the rows. The candle holder is held in such a way that the candles of a row are present perpendicularly one on top of the other and, as a result of lighting the wick of the lowermost candle, transfer to the candle above by the xe2x80x9cupward burningxe2x80x9d of the flame is possible.
If the distance of the rows from one another is chosen so that the ignition distance is reliably exceeded, it is possible to ensure that only the intended part of the candles is ignited quickly in succession and uncontrolled burning is avoided. This makes it possible to take into account particular risk aspects associated with specific groups of persons, such as, for example, children.
After all candles have been lit, their spacing is increased by moving the candle mounts until, after reaching or assuming a second position, which, for example, may meet decorative requirements, it is possible to mount the holder on a support.
The individual candle mounts can be mounted on bearer elements which can be displaced, rotated, tilted or moved in another manner relative to further bearer elements present. The second position designed for mounting of the candle holder may have a form which primarily conforms to decorative aspects but must also take account of the mechanical requirements of the movement. A ring, star, fan, shield, grid or spiral represents a suitable form. A movement of the components, such as, for example, the bearer elements, from the first to the second position and vice versa can be effected by means of generally known mechanical connections, such as, for example, joints, flexible connections or sliding connections.
The movement can take place in a plane as well as include changes in further dimensions, for example folding together of a plurality of arm-like bearer elements toward a common center. The first position thus assumed may have, for example, the form of a spherical cap or a pyramid, in the center of which or at the vertex of which all wicks or at least a relatively large proportion of the wicks have been brought within an igniting distance of one another. After lighting, the bearer elements can be moved back to their position. Arrangement of the candle mounts or bearer elements in different planes or at different angles is also possible, for example their terraced or step-like arrangement can help to give a particular impression of the candle holder.
The production of a plurality of components of the candle holder, including the candles, from a single, common material permits integrated, simple and economical production, for example of disposable candle mounts for events which have a singular character, such as, for example, a golden wedding anniversary or an eightieth birthday.